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Something to Cluck About

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When I was a kid, chicken salad was low on the sandwich totem pole. It always seemed more afterthought than real food: All the leftover bits of chicken (including, invariably, some unidentifiable chewy parts), smothered in mayonnaise and garnished with the occasional speck of celery.

But if you start with the right ingredients, plain old chicken salad can be so much more.

The same roasted chicken that graces my family table at least once a week during the colder months is perfect for summer dinners as well -- dinners of chicken salad. I usually roast the bird the night before (when it's not so hot); it will keep in the refrigerator for about three days, which gives me plenty of time to make the salad.

Since chicken is so mild, I like to pair it with strong-flavored ingredients. Curried chicken salad is accented with lime and features crunchy apples and sweet raisins; Thai chicken salad is slightly sweet, slightly sour, and as spicy as you want it to be (in my house, that's pretty spicy); barbecued chicken salad pairs a tangy sauce with sweet corn and red peppers.

These salads are all so versatile; I serve them over a bed of mesclun, rolled inside a whole wheat tortilla or spread on a rye crisp. Sometimes, I make just one to keep in the fridge for a quick sandwich during the week; other times, I make all three for a chicken-salad sampler.

Start with four large, split, bone-in chicken breasts. Set the oven to 400°. In a large bowl, toss the chicken with two tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper.

Arrange breasts in an even layer on a baking sheet. Cook until the internal temperature registers 165° -- about 20 to 30 minutes. Cool the chicken completely on the baking sheet.

When poultry is cool, remove and discard the skin, and then remove the meat from the bone. You should get about 4 cups of picked chicken.

Now, for the salads.

Barbecue Chicken SaladRoasting the corn adds a nice flavor, although any cooked corn will do (including leftovers). To roast, toss 4 ears with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, and salt and pepper. Roast at 450° until tender and some kernels begin to brown, about 20 minutes. Cool corn before removing it from cob.